Control system



L. DAY

CONTROL- SYSTEM Filed Aug. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 hml INVENTOR Y LESLIE DAY c ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1945.

L. DAY

CONTROL SYSTEM Dec. 18, 1945.

Filed Aug. 6,' 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I LESLIE DAY LL c ATTORNEY Dec. 18, 1945.

willie rllr YINVENTOR BY LESLIE DAY afi%- C ATTORNEY divisionalapplication derailment of the train or upon asystem of this character character wherein Patented Dec. 18, 1945 j- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Leslie Day, Chicago, 111.,

assignor of one-half to Lamar L. Day, St. George, Staten Island, N. Y. Application August 6, 1942, Serial No. 453,872 14 Claims. (c1. 246-170) This invention relates generally to electrical control systems and more particularly to electrical systems for controlling the brakes of railroad trains and the like. Certain subject matter disclosed herein is being claimedin my copending for an Electric switch, $611. No. 623,812, filed October 22, 1945; and my copending continuation in part application for Connectors for electric circuits, Ser. No. 623,813, filed October 22, 1945. r r

It is an important object of the invention to provide, an electrical control system for applying the air brakes or the like on railroad trains upon the derailment of one or more of the cars thereof. f I

Another object of the invention is to provide a system-of this character for the automaticfap plication of the brakes of a train when derail ment occurs. c Y 1 Still anotherobject of the invention is to proyidea system of this character wherein the action is positive and certain.

Aiurtherobject of the invention is to provide v v that may be readily installed on'existing or old equipment as well as on new equipment;

A still further object is to provide a system of thischaracter wherein a single wire is used, the return circuit being through the track and/or through the under frame of the cars.

A further object is to provide a system of this the train air line is opened. first on the engine at the head of the train fl Further objects of the invention are to'provide a system of this character by the various train and yard crews so that there. will be a minimum of time consumed in train.

assembly and switching operations by said train; crews; that is easily tested; that is free from accidental operation or errors in operation; that.- w'll use a minimum amount of current when the open circuit arrangement is used; that will in sure prompt operation under various operating" conditions even when cars with loose draw-bar's and coupling pins are passing ove an insulated" joint in the track at the time of derailment; that includes a signal to the enginner indicating that the brakes are being set; that is relatively inexpensive to produce, install and maintain; that'ha relatively'few parts; that may include an emer ge'ncy stoparrangement which may be operated 'manually by a member of the crewor the like;

that may include a signal on the respective cars to indicate that the system is in operation; and I that includes a, hermaphrodite split plug adapted that is easily operated 6-6 of Figure 5;

to insure proper connections between the cars} said plug being su h that the parts'may be connected with a single operation and disconnected at the right place without assistanceofthe train crew or other personnel, and whichwill not short when wet by rain or the like;

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to'those skilledin the'art from the following description or may from a study of the accompanying drawings in which certain modifications of the invention have been shown. It will be evident that the principles of the invention maybe incorporated in "various forms and I contemplate the employment 'of-i'any structures, arrangements, or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the app nded claims. r In the drawings: I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the entire electrical system embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is anenlargeddiagrammatic side view Figure 4 is a partial end view of the car'truck showing said switch from one end thereof; -1 I1 Figure 5 is a planview of the hermaphrodite plug with portions cut away in one part to show the interior construction thereof J Figure 6 is a view of the plug taken on line Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the plugs to show the arrangement thereof on the cars; Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of the electrical circuit to show a modification of the invention; s g

'Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of another portion of the electrical system showing a modification thereof; I I Figure 10 is a diagrammatic view of still another portion of the electrical system showingja modification;

Figure 11 is anend view, partly in section, of a modification of the control switches;

characters represent similar parts Figure 12 is a view of same, partly in section, taken at right angles relative to Figure 11; and a Figure 13 a sectional view taken on line l3--l3ofFigure 11. V s v 2 Throughout the drawings similar reference although where suchparts are modified inistructureor operation thezare given 'a further'difiering reference charac v -1 be ascertained Referring more particularly to Figure 1 the portion of the electrical system indicated by the'character A is preferably installed on the engine; that portion indicated by C is installed on each car; and the portion indicated by the character E is preferably on the last car of the train. B and D indicate the couplings between the cars which connect the cars together electrically.

Throughout the. drawings it. is to be. understood that. all grounds are grounded'to the frame of the respective train units. ;All grounds are preferably welded to the frame or such part as.

they are connected to.

The primary electrical system preferably includes a storage battery 20 having its negative terminal grounded at 22. adapted to be connected wires 26, 28 and 30, 32. battery and the motor is a delayed action circuit breaker and a. main control switch. An electrical generator 38, operated by any suitable means such as a steamturbineor the Ilka is grounded at 4.0 and connected with wire, 26. by a wire 42, said generator being; adapted to. supply current for operating the. electrical control system. and/or for charging the storage. battery "20. A signal bell 4.4 may, if desired, be included on the engine and is. connectedto wire 30 by a, wire 45', said bell, being grounded at 48. The; motor 2-4 is connected by any suitable well known means. such gearing or the. like. to? an. air valve 4n. controlling the pipe line 52 of the air brake system.-

It should be. borne in. mind, that. the wires of the main circuit which carry av heavyiload. are relatively largeto eliminate..- undue resistance. and possible overheating when the battery delivers full power.

The. control circuit includes: a. magnet 5.6 for actuating the. switch 36;. said. magnet acting on a hinged. bar 5.8: 015- iron or other suitable material which comprises. part. or said switch. Buttons 60 and 62 of insulating material may be attached: to the; ma net: and the: bar 58: respectively, said: buttons being arranged to form, a stop for limiting movement of the. bar... Themagnet. is connected to wire. 2-8. by a. wire; 64: which. leaves the; magnet at 65 and. isaadapted to. be connected to an insulated wire 665011. the adjacentrcar by means or a. hermaphrodite split plu I which. will be hereinafter fully described.

to a motor 24 by insulated Wire 66 runs the full length of the. carand is adapted to be connected to the wire 6.6 of the next car by a similar plug T0. The wires 86. of the cars: may be relatively small if desired: thus holding the: cost thereof toa; minimum.

Eachcar is provided with switches .12', there being a switch 12 secured adjacent the: respective ends of the usual spring plates. 14. ofthe car-trucks at each end of' the 'cars,;said switches. connected by wires 16 to wires 66 and are grounded at 1:33. A moredetailed description of the switches 12 will-be given hereinaften For passenger cars a signal light 1:8 may beinstalled; said signal being grounded at 80 and connected to wire 66: by means of a. wire '82 which has a. switch 84i interposed therein, said switch 8.4 is shown as being controlled by a solenoid 86: although a magnet. or other suitable. mean may be used to actuate same. I

In order to. insure an electrical connection between the. frames of adjacent cars wires. 88" are grounded at: 9.2 to. the respective frames. and said wires; connected together through the; plugs 11!. This connection provides a positive 110W of 1- the motor being grounded at. Interposed in this connection between. the.

112' being The positive terminal is rent throughout the control circuit. This arrangement is particularly desirable to insure an electrical connection between the cars should cars having loose draw-bars and coupling pins be passing over an insulated joint in the tracks when derailment occurs. If such an arrangement were absent under such circumstances there might be a delay in the setting of the brakes and severe dame. equipment or personnel and passengers might result. V

As shown in the drawings the car at the rear of the train is provided with a switch 96 adapted to connect wire 66 of said car to a ground 98. If desired such a switch and ground may also be included in the control circuit of other cars. This switch to permit manual closing of the control circuit to eflect setting of the brakes in case the engineer fails to see a hand signal or should such setting of the brakes be desirable for any other reason. The switch 96 may also beclosed to test the control circuit and it. therefore provides a simple and effective.- means for makingsucha. test. It istobe understood, of course that the. rear car circuit preferabl also includes the. switches 12.. as shown for thecars-at-C..

Referring more particularly to. Figures. 5,. 6. and 7 the hermaphrodite split plugs 10. each comprise a pair of mating or matching parts 10 and [62. Each part comprises a body oi any suitableinsulating material such as Bakelite. or. the like and each body is formedof opposed portions, I64 and I06 secured together as by bolts. 18.. A rounded prong R and a square prong S. extend longitudinally in each body and said prongs. are. provided with a rounded head adjacent the inner ends having screws H0 for securing respective wires a thereto. Adjacent the. prongss and Rv are. longitudinally extending passages. Hi4 and H6 respectively having cross sections corresponding. to the crosssections. of the adjacent prongs...

Adjacent the prong R'. isv aspring H8. suitably anchored in the body of the plug andv havim; a head I20 normally entering. the. passage H6 and so. formed as. to: permit. entrance of the. mating prong R of the other partoi the. plug. The, head I20 is shown as being round although any other suitable shape may be provided and when the mating prong R. is inserted in; the passage I. [6 the head I20 is displaced, entering av recess. [22 provided therefor. The. head. 1.2.0 is adapted to frictionally bear againstthe adjacent. prong to prevent. accidental separationof the. plug. parts. It is to be understood, of course, that. asimilar spring H8 is. provided for the prong S and plug L02 is similar in construction to plug I00.

The passages H4. and N6. of. each part of. the plug extend along corresponding sides of the-respective. prongs, and receive. corresponding prongs of. the other'part. Thus the parts of the plug can only be connected together in one way and it is impossible: to connect them together improperly. A. gasket l2! may-be provided between the parts- Hi4 :and. H: each part ofwthe. plug to preventxrainor'the like from penetrating into the interior of the. bodyand causing-a short: circuit, and if. desired a flexible sheath I126 of. metal or the like, may be provided to protect; the. wires adjacent eachv plug; It has. also been. found. d6.- sirable. to provide recesses or notches 200' in the abutting ends of the. matched parts of the plugs, said notches aiding in preventing shorting between the prongs S. andv R should the plugs become wet from rain or'snow';

Referring to Figure 7 the: arrangement. of the plug parts. at the ends. of the.- carsisshown. The

12 each comprise a resilient the under side of the therefrom by a block electrical insulating material such as Bakelite or the like. The

winged member includes wings I30 which are oppositely disposed and downwardly inclined and are adapted, when deformed upwardly, to contact switch members I32 fixed to opposite sides of the spring plate 14 by any suitable means such as rivets I34 or the like. Each part I30 has a horizontal portion I36 which normally lies parallel with rails I31 and such parts may terminate in upwardly inclined free end portions I38. It is to be understood that the members I32 are grounded to the spring plates 14 which form part of the underframe of the respective cars, the grounding of said members being shown at I33 in Figure 1. The winged member of each switch12 is connected to wire 66 by a wire 16.

' The spring plates are customarily installed between the front and rear wheels I38 and I40 respectively of each truck of a car, as shown in Figure 3, the trucks being disposed adjacent the respective ends .of the cars. And end view of. a spring plate of a truck, with the switches .12 mounted thereon, is shown in Figure 4 and it will be noted that said switches are disposed outwardly of and above the top plane. of the adjacent rails I31.

'The'above described system is: an open circuit arrangement wherein normally there is no current flowing therethrough and the operation. thereof is as follows:

The delayed circuit breaker 34 is normally closed and the, switch 36 is normally open aswell as the switches 12 and the manual control switch 96. However, should a derailment occur the wheels of one side of one or more car trucks will fall outside the rails while the wheels on the other side will drop between said rails. The lower horizontal parts I36ofthe switch 12 disposed between'the latter set of wheels will strike the adjacent rail and will be thereby forced upward into contact with the members I32 of said switch thus closing the control circuit and causing magnet 56 todraw bar 58toward it so as to close the main circuit switch 36. Upon closing of said switch '36 the motor 24 is supplied with current and is. caused to operate, thereby. opening valve 50 of the air brake system. The brakes are thus set anda'sthe valve 50 is located on the engine at the'head of the train the brakes at said head-are set first which is the most desirable arrangement, the brakes on the .rest of the cars being set .progressively toward the rear end of the train.

At the-time the control circuit is closed the 'sole'noid' 86 is energized toclosesWitch 84, .thus turning on the warning light'18. If such a light is installed in each car of 'a passenger train the signal light 18 is primarily intended for passenger trains and may be eliminated if desired, particularlyfrom freight cars;

However, if desired, the motor 24 may also be connected by gearing or'the like with the motive power control whereby said motive power, whether steam, electricity, or an internal combustion engine or the like, is shut off automatically and simultaneously withthe setting of the brakes. It is also to be understood that if desired Sll'bSbillll'. tions may be made for various parts of the sys term For example a solenoid may be used instead of magnet 56; a light may be used instead of the bell 44; or a magnet may be used in place of solenoid 86; Other similar substitutions may also be made for these and other parts.

The delayed circuit breaker 34 is interposed in the main circuit to break said circuit after the valve 50 has been opened by the motor and the brakes of the train have been applied. An alternative arrangement may include a self-protected motorized valve for the air line control and such a valve may be so designed and constructed as to break the main circuit when'the valve is opened,

thuseffecting de-energizing of the magnet 56 and allowing the switch 36 to return to its normal open position. The circuit breaker 34 could thenbe dispensed with.

In order to convert the system into a closed circuit arrangement the parts shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 would be added. In Figure 8 an ammeter I5!) is adapted to be connected by switch passengers of the respective cars are given a warning-signal that an emergency setting of the brakes is being made. The warning bell '44 is also caused to operate, said bell being energized when the switch 36 isclosed. Thus the engineer is automatically given a signal to shut off the motive pow'er of the engine. It: issto be notedxthatthe' to wire 6-5 on the engine and behind the switch I52 by wire I54. There would also preferably. be a variable resistance unit I56 which is adapted to be attached to wire by a switch I 62 and wire I58, said unit I56 being grounded at I60. A switch I62 is interposed in wire 65 for controlling the current through the variableresistance unit. In Figure!) means is shown for grounding wire 65 and/or wire 66 by means of a wire I64, the current through said wire being controlled by a switch I66. It is to be understood that each car may include such an arrangement which would be adapted to ground the wire 66 of the car adjacent to a cut in the train orat the end of the train. In Figure 10 an ammeter 168 is adapted to be connected by a wire I16 to wire 66 by the switch 96, said ammeter being grounded at I12.

In the closed circuit system the delayed circuit breaker 34 and switches 12 and 96 would normally be closed. Theswitches 12 would be hooked up in series on each car and also would be in series with the switch 96 on the rear car of the train which isnormally the caboose on a freight or the observation car of apassenger train. Switches I52 and I62 would be positioned to complete the "circuit through wire 65 (Figure 8). Switch 36 would be constructed and arranged to be in the open position while current flowed through magnet 56. The switches 12 would then be opened by striking a rail so that the control circuit would be broken upon derailment of a car or cars. The magnet 56 becomes de-energized with the breaking of the control circuit thus causing switch 36 to close and complete the main circuit for operation of motor 24. The motor then opens the air valve 56 and effects application of the brakes as already described."

When a car is to be switched or the train cut in two, one of the switches I66, Figure 9, is closed to prevent breaking of the control circuit when a posterior-car is detached from the trainassemly, although normally the switches I66 are open when the train .is moving. j i

The ammeters. one on the engine and; one on the rear unit or carol the t ain, wh n; proper y constructed and connected, indicate,- to: cllcwmen whether. or not the current in. the contro circuit is uninter upted. It desired. galvanomcters; or the. like maybe used. instead of the. amrn ters.

To connect the ammeter' I450 intothe circuit. switch 1.52.- is: positioned. o connec with wire I53, the currentv returning to. wire 65. beyond. said throu h w re? 1.54.. and ordertorender the: variable. resistance unit efiective. switch M32 is; positioned to connect. wire 65 with wire [58,

The normal pos tion or swit h 162;. is such. as t p ovide. a continuous; circui through w re .5 but it; may be pos t oned. to con the variable i a e. uni with the source f.- e cct ic l, power bythc eng neer or fireman. bei rc the train. is. o to: set ou or: pi k up orator oth r operating reasons. This will di ert: the dew of current. t ground; 160. throughv the variable res stance unit 1-5.6. which. is adapted; to be manually ulated and graduated; in. units of; carsi a. tra to rendcr the resistan e equiv lent to th tra n bein handled... Thu an unde ired application. of the brakeswill be avoided when. the train is. cu

Fi ures 111.. .2 and. 13 show a; modification. of

the swi ches 12*. Opposed tlhapcd. frame-members 2|!) are secured to the spring plate 14' W bolts 2,12. The. members. 210 are, spac d: apart and receive therebetween a, movable. switchmembe: including: a. body portion. 2 I 4. having laterally extending shafiiis. 2l 6 pivoted in. respective irame memberszllt. The endportion. of each shaft H6 is provided. with. a sleeve M8v of electricalinsulating material such as Bakelite. or the. like... Within the member 2145 is a pipe 213;, each end ofwhic is threaded and projects outwardly lon itudinally of said body 214;. Gaps. 220 and5222 are screwed on the; upper and lower ends. respectively of; sai pipe and said caps abut against. resp c ive adjacent ends of the body 2H5. Cap 220 closes the upper end of body- 2| 4 and cap 2.2.2 is provided with a square opening in Which is slidably received a. rod 224 square in cross section, said rod having a head 226 within the pipe 2. .9 and is adapted to. slide. freely therein. A spring 228. reacting against cap 220' and head 226 yieldingly urges rod 224 outwardly. The lower end of rod 224 is provided with a b.1ock23llof steel or. other suitable material, which is received on a reduced portion 232' of rod 224. The. free end of: the. reduced portion 232 is overturned at 234 forretention of said block on rod 224.

Semiscircular electrical contact members 2.36 are disposed adjacent opposite sides of the movable switch member. The scmiecircular members 236 include lateral arms 2381 adjacent the respective ends thereof, said arms having end portions 240 secured to respective frame members 2H1 by bolts or screws 242, thus holding said contact members in position and grounding them to the frame of the car through frame member 2H) and spring plate 14.

The contact members 236 are disposed in parallel planes between which the switch member is adapted to swing and the radius of said contact members 236 coincide with the radius of the path of the upper end of said switch member. The positioning and spacing of the contact members 236 is such that when the switch member swings from a vertical position the upper end thereof, which is shown as comprising the cap 220, will contact same. However, to prevent contact between the switch member and the contact members when the former is in a vertical posiaccuses tion. said co tact are? provided with central; u shaned. po tions. which e r-tend out wardlv and. in which locks 2. 4 are s our d by screws A5 or; av anr o her suitable m an blocks;- ZM; are of. Bakelite. fiber r.- c h. l ical; insnla ins mate. a1: and ha o posed concave portion :45. in which. the cap 220: eceived. The resilience of the contact; members ur es the. blocks-.22 gainst th can 220: and; n mollyretains the switchmemb rn' its. vertica pQSi-fiQn-n The. wire 16 is secured to the bo gm, by a screw 2 .11. Inasmuch. as he swit h memb r is insulated. by'slecves 2I8 tr m.- the me members 2:411 no electric; current. to, flow thr u h th switch whenthe-switch member is-in. the ver ica position wherein the cap 2.2.0 i eld a ains con ta t with the contactv membe s bybl cks 2.44.-

The switches of the embod ment sho n Fisures 11., 2' and .3. are located thespring plates similarly to the switches .2: shown i Figure with the blocks 23.0 located above the top plane or the rails and outwa dly t ereof. Consider n a sin le switch, upon d railment of. a car-- the block ofsaid switch adjacent, the. wheels which drop. between the: rails will: strike the top or ball 25h.- ofthe. adjacent: rail. The rod: 224 is forced pwardly compressing; sp in 2. .8 which. absorbs the resulting shock; At the same time. the. l rward motion of the.- car will cause the. movable switch memberto swing as indicated by the dotted line, 252-. in Figure 11-, The upper" end of the switch member will swing into. contact with the contact members 236 and complete. the circuit through the switch thus closing the control circuit which in turn efiects operation of the main circuit and the application of the, brakes ofthe train.

In order to use a switch of this character in a closed circuit system it. would be necessary to arrange the contact members so that when the movable switch member is vertical there would be electrical contact between members 236 and said movable switch member and when said switch member is swung out of the vertical position the electrical contactwould be broken.

If desired, a. casing or cover 254 may be. provided to enclose the switch and said casing may be secured by: indentations 256 therein which engage the upper edge of'the lower horizontal portions of the frame members 2l'fl. A slot 258' is provided in the bottom side of the casing in which the depending portion of the movable switch member is received, said slot being wide enough to prevent. contact of the. switch member with the sides thereof and long enough to. permit swingingof the switch member for completion of the circuit through the switch.

It will be understood that many variations of the invention can be made from the disclosed embodiments and it isv not. intended that the scope thereof" shall be limited to. the forms shown and described, nor otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1'. In an e ectri a s stem for controllin th application of the'brakes of a railroad train havi n r bra system with. a val therefo a i c r sys em includi a ba tery havi a. ground, an electric motor having a grou d and operably connected to. the air valve, a ma n ciri e a pted to conne t the battery an motor together, a delayed action circuit, breaker and a normally open main. control switch. inter posed in the main circuit wire, a control circuit wire extending throughout the length of the'train net interposed in thecontrol circuit and adapted to close the main switch when-energized by currentflowing through the control circuit, and an auxiliary switch having-one part connected to the control 'circuit wire' andthe-other part grounded, said switch being normally open and so 7 p sitioned on" a car of the train :that same will:strike a rail'andbe closed upon derailment ofsaid'car.

'2 .=The inventiondefined by claim 1 wherein an electric signal havin'ga' ground is connected to the'main control circuit wire between'the main switchandthe'motor.-

3. The invention defined by claim '1 wherein there is included an electric' signal on a car of the train, saidsignal having a ground, a'connection 'for said signal with the control wire of said car, a normally open switch interposed in said connection, and electrical means having a ground and adapted to close said switch when energized, said electrical means being connected with the control circuit wire.

4. The invention defined by'claim 1 wherein the cars of the train are provided with auxiliary switches at each side adjacent the ends thereof,

, said switches being disposed adjacent the respective rails of the railroad track on which the train is operated. a

tric power, electrically operable means for actuating the air valve, means including a main switch adapted to connect the electrically operable means with the source of power, a control circuit including a normally open control switch, and electrically actuated means connected with the control circuit and adapted to be energized by current flowing through said circuit, said elecric-ally actuated means being so constructed and arranged as to close the main switch when energized, and said control switch being so positioned on a unit of the train that it will be closed by derailment of said unit.

7. The invention defined by claim 6 including a manually operable switch which is operable at times only for closing the control circuit.

8. In an electrical system for controlling the application of the brakes of railroad trains and the like having an air brake system including an air valve whereby the air line may be opened, a main control circuit including a source of electric power, electrically operable means for actuating the air valve, means including a main switch adapted to connect the electrically ope'rable means with the source of power, acontrol circuit including a normally'open control switch, electrically actuated means connected with the control circuit and adapted to be energized by current flowing through said circuit, said electrically actuated means being so constructed and arranged as to close the main switch when energized, and said control switch being so positioned on a unit of the train that it will be closed by derailment of said unit, and a delayed action circuit breaker iii-the main control circuit connected in series with the a control switch and adapted to operate after a predetermined interval for breaking the main and control circuits; or 91 The invention defined by claim 6 wherein the train comprises a plurality of separable units and each unit includes a portion of the control circuit, a hermaphrodite plug between the respective units of the'train for connecting together the portions of the control circuit of said units, and-flexible connections between the plugs and the units to which theyare attached.

10. In an electrical system for automatically controlling the application of the brakes of a railroad train having an'air brake system, electrically operable means, :an air valve adapted, to be operated thereby and located adjacent the head of 'the train iorcontrollin'g the air'brake system whereby the brakes at the head 'of the train are set first upon brake applying actuation of said valve, a main electrical control system including a source of power connected with the electrically operable means, a normally open main switch in said main control system, a control circuit, electrical means connected with the control circuit and adapted to close the main switch when energized, and a normally open control switch for the control circuit so positioned on a unit of the train that it will be closed by derailment of said unit.

11. In an electrical system for controlling the application of the brakes of railroad trains and the like having an air brake system including an 7 air valve whereby the air line may be opened, a main control system including a source of electric power, electrically operable means for actuating the air valve, means adapted to connect the electrically operable means with the source of power, a normally open switch for controlling the current to the electrically operable means, a normally open control circuit, means connected with the control circuit adapted to be energized by current flowing through the control circuit, a normally open switch means adapted to close said control circuit, said last mentioned means being so positioned on a unit of the train that it will be closed upon derailment of said unit, and a delayed action circuit breaker for the control circuit and main circuit whereby both circuits are broken after the electrically operable means has actuated the air valve to set the brakes.

I 12. In an electrical system for controlling the application of the brakes of a railroad train comprising a plurality of separable units and having an air brake system with a valve therefor, a main control system including a source of electrical power,'electrically actuated means operably connected to the air valve, 3. main circuit adapted to connect the electrically actuated means with the source of power, a normally open main control switch interposed in the main circuit, a control circuit extending throughout the length of the train with portions thereof on the respective train units, an electrical device adapted to close the main switch when energized by current flowing tln-ough the control circuit, a normally open auxiliary switch for the control circuit so constructed, arranged and positioned on a train unit that it will be closed upon derailment of said unit, and hermaphrodite plugs between the train units and adapted to connect together the portions of the control circuit carried by said units, said plugs being so constructed and arranged that the parts thereof can be connected together in but one way.

i 13,. In an electrical system for controlling the apn ce zi n 0f the brakes 01 a railroad train having a, plurality of separable units, and; having" an air brake system electropneumatic means. controlling the air brakesystem, awmain circuit for said means, electrical means controlling the main circuit, control circuit for the last mentioned means, said control circuit extending throughout he leng h of the t ain, at least one control circuit switch on each of the train adapted to be actu ted upon derailment: of said unit, and at least one manually operable control circuit; switch on each unit of the train adapted to be actuated at times only.

14. In an electrical, system for ,controllinz the npplicetiqn of the brakes, at railroad trains and the like having an air brake system including an air valve controlling the air line, said train comprising a plurality of. separable units: a main control system including a. source of electric mower,v electrically operable. means for actuating the air valve, meansincludingav main switch adapted to connect thevv electrically operable means, with the source of power-,qa control circuit extendinssubstantially the length of the train with portions of; said circuit. on said units, a com trol switchin the control circuit, electrically actur ated means connected with the control circuit and adap ed to be ccntixolled; thereby, said electricall actuated means: hem! so constructed and arranged as t a tuatethe switch, Said contr l switch being so positioned on a unit of, the train that it will be actuated by derailment of said, unit, a. hermaphrodite plug for connecting together the control circuit between the train. units. said plug being adapted to be connected together in but one. wa and flexible, connections, between the plugs and, the respective units to which, they are attached,

LESLIE DAY. 

